Friday, July 31, 2009

Sean O'Pry is the face of high-fashion powerhouses Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, and Lacoste, among others. Last month, the 20-year-old was named Forbes' Most Successful Male Model, something other models spend years (until they age too much for the industry) trying to achieve. His public image is that of an honest kid from Georgia discovered by former America's Next Top Model judge Nolé Marin via his MySpace pics. And yes, if you haven't already heard the story, we agree. It sounds a little too good to be true. So, as much as we love singling out impostors ... there's nothing to expose on clean-cut Mr. O'Pry. His story's legit. He's strikingly good looking, and he's a normal twentysomething kid. He makes fun of himself when necessary, and he gets the joke. Either way, it's always compelling to hear what successful (and really, really, really good looking) people have to say.

What’s going on with you now? I’m going into acting, so I have a few projects there. With the modeling thing, it’s busy. There’s nothing to complain about.

Have you always aspired to act? I sort of just fell into it like I did this. I got a lucky break.

Has stardom changed you at all?Luckily, I’m a male model, so stardom is a ways off. If I was a girl model, I’d probably feel it a lot more. As a guy, you don’t get recognized. It’s kind of known in the industry, and that’s about it. I like that part, but I’d aspire for more one day.

You never get recognized? In Korea I get recognized. In New York, I think they’re just way too busy with their own lives.

What are your favorite places you’ve visited for work?I loved Korea. It was snowing while I was there. I’m from Georgia, and it really doesn’t snow much. Then I was in Moscow, and I just got back from Tulum in January. My favorite place so far is Kingston, New York. It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. We were shooting in this house, and it just had the Catskills wrapped around it.

Have you fulfilled any male fantasies working with female models?The first check in my book was Barney’s, and I kissed Jessica Stam on that shoot. I was like, “Now, if this is what male modeling’s all about, then I’m going to be very excited.” But I haven’t kissed anybody since. I think they were just trying to tease me.

What do your Southern friends think about your profession?My best friend’s a pipe layer, so we’re really quite different. He’s a six-foot redhead named Randy, and he lays pipes for a living. He’s good at his job. He’s a very hard worker. Before this, we built retaining walls for pools together. Going from retaining walls to male modeling ... He just makes fun of me most the time.

Do your friends from Georgia come up to visit?Randy’s come up a couple times, and my buddies came up for my birthday last year. My family’s only been once, so my friends must like me more than my family.

Is your family supportive of the career choice?At first, my dad made fun of me a lot, but now he’s proud of me for accomplishing something in my life. My mother’s always been behind me, but I guess any mom would want their son or daughter to be a model. My dad had higher aspirations for me, but you know, this is what happened. I got handed this, and I took the opportunity.

They must be proud of your financial independence at your age.I’m happy about the financial independence ‘cause I used to have to borrow money from my friends to go to McDonald’s. I can also help my family out. That’s a blessing.

Do you enjoy the social scene in New York?I choose not to go out anymore. I have a really small group of friends, and I quite enjoy beer pong at my apartment if I do say so myself. There’s way too many people at the places that people go out too.

Did you go through a party boy phase when you first moved?Oh yeah. I think everyone goes through that, if not a two-day phase where they’re finally like, “I can’t do it anymore,” then a year and a half phase like I did.

Did that affect your work in any way?No, I never drink before a job. I never have, and never will. That part of the job was always very professional. I don’t show up late; if I did it once it never happened again. If I ever drank before a job; I did it once and never again. I learned from my lessons and learned that going at it beforehand was not a good thing.

What are your extracurriculars?I do enjoy reading, and they have this great app on the iPhone that I can read books on. Also, the batting cages at Chelsea Piers. I used to play baseball in high school. And I like people-watching.

Where do you people watch?Out my window. There are some interesting people in the East Village.

Were you super nervous before your first test shoot?I never did test shoots. I did it all with my manager, who got me all my jobs off the Polaroid sheets for six months.

Were you ever skeptical that modeling wouldn’t work out?My theory was like, as long as you can suck your cheeks in, you’re gonna be good. That’s not what everyone does, but I did have my Zoolander moments at the beginning.

Did you ever get called out on that? Oh, I’ve been told to do it, too. I think I get called out more by my friends and by people who know me. I stopped sucking my cheeks in, just for reference—I don’t do it anymore.

Noted. Are male models bros with each other, or is it entirely competitive?Do I have a lot of bromances going on? You know, I’ve had a few. What you realize is that no matter what, someone is going out for your job. There are so many good-looking brunettes with blue eyes. It could be a competition in the ways of your looks, but after that, your personality is what you base your job on. After you go to the casting and give them your book, all you can do is be yourself. If they like that, they’ll book you. So, competition-wise, I don’t know if it’s a competition like we’re trying to win, or more competitive like, I’m me, and they’re not. I think that’s the only difference with me getting a job and them not.

Do you think it’s more competitive for girls?I think girl models hate each other. I’d love to just see a girl model brawl. How great would that be?

You want to go to college eventually, right?I definitely do. I’d love to be a marine biologist. I used to like digging shit up—so I wanted to be an archaeologist.

I’m sure you spend lots of time outside, being from Georgia.Yep, I’ve been bitten by a snake twice. On my birthday when I was 13 and when I was 14. A year apart, mowing the grass. And there was this really cute girl across the street watching. I think screaming that you’ve just gotten bitten by a snake isn’t the most attractive quality in a man.

What are the ups and downs of male modeling?My least favorite thing is the perception that if you’re a male model, you either take your clothes off for everything, or you’re gay. And I mean, some people are and some people do, but I don’t like that perception. When you hear these perceptions—let’s say in a blog—when people who don’t even know you decide things about you, that’s the thing I don’t like. The good thing about the job is that I have not met one bad person in this industry so far. Everyone I’ve worked with has been great. I’ve learned so many things, and the travel.

Where do you eat?The thing I love about New York is delivery. Anytime, anywhere. I quite like Almond, and I like Hop Devil Grill.

What about bars?I’m 20 so it’s not legal to ask me that question yet. Ask me when I’m in 21 or I could get people in trouble.

Do you look through magazines differently than before you started modeling?The only magazine I really ever picked up was Sports Illustrated. So I only really looked at the pictures until I got to the football articles. I’m not really going to go through a GQ unless it has a really great article about an athlete or something. Usually, I just like looking at the pictures. If the picture draws my eye, then I’m going to read it, and if not then I’m going to pass. I would definitely read an article to explain why they took the picture.

Also, do you have more of an appreciation for fashion as an art form or an industry now?Definitely. You realize that when you’re different behind the camera, you make something look completely different. You could take a pair of pants and you could put them on anyone, and it would take a whole new form. I think you can make fashion your own, and that’s a great thing. And I like a lot of free stuff.

Do you ever plan on moving back to Georgia?Yeah, it might be when I’m 85. As long as I’m still modeling, business is here. If modeling was in Georgia, I’d be the first one to go. I do miss Cracker Barrel and sweet tea though.

Have you heard any good pickup lines from girls in New York?I was dating a girl for two and a half years, so I never really got into the dating scene since I’ve been here. I spend most hours of the day in my apartment. I’m here for my job, I do my job and that’s all I really do. I’m quite boring.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

NYC's Mc2 modeling Agency brings a cute innocent face girl named Zoe. She is 15 years old and a promising model. I can easily see her doing both HIGH FASHION and COMMERCIAL MODELING and BEAUTY modeling. Good Luck to her!

Emma Watson (Storm) is on FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!! Above were only a few magazines cover that she's on.....yes only (few)...19 years old actress/model is unstoppable. She has just begun! Let's just hope she doesn't end up like Lindsay Lohan...

I met Sean O'Pry years ago, on an editorial shoot for Details by Alexei Hay. At that time he was a baby model; he was just starting out. Alexei and I shot him all over the Upper East Side in our twisted fantasy of a 1950s musical set in New York—not an easy shoot for any of us, but Sean knew instinctively how to play his role. He worked fashion that was easily twenty times as expensive as anything he'd ever bought for himself. Since then I've worked with Sean many times and his raw talent as a model still stuns me. I'm more used to it now but sometimes I still laugh to myself, thinking that Sean would calmly escort Linda Evangelista out of the studio if it meant getting more pictures. He's that good.

SO: Oh man, pretty good. It's been two-and-a-half years in the making, so I'm proud of that.

ME: You've been doing this that long?

SO: Two and a half years.

ME: It's a real accomplishment I think, being named Forbes' Most Successful Male Model. Especially in today's economy to get to the head of your game in that short amount of time is really exciting.

SO: It would have been nice to be named Forbes' Most successful model in the 90's though. [LAUGHS] The economy wasn't as bad then. But it's all because of my manager Lana [Winters Tomczak].

ME: What do you think makes you successful as a male model?

SO: Lana, definitely.

ME: What about you as a person, your face, your body? What makes you successful? As opposed to the other millions of great-looking guys.

SO: See I'm in as much awe at me being successful as most people, because I don't get it yet. I don't get what's the appeal about me to the business, you know? I guess I'd have to say it's who I am. Because I have to say I know there are hundreds of other good-looking guys with blue eyes and brown hair. I don't know what differentiates me with my look as much as my personality. So I'd go with my personality.

ME: You don't look in the mirror at all and say, "OK, I see what other people see in me and that's what is making me a success."

SO: When I was in middle school I wouldn't turn profile to people, because I thought my nose was so bad that people would just stare at it. I'm still—the appeal escapes me still.

ME: It must be a really hard transition to make, coming from Georgia and being on the football team to suddenly working as a model in New York and other fashion capitals. How hard was that?

SO: I see a lot of guys who come from football or sports have to lose weight. Luckily for me I got mono, so my chances for sports after I got mono was nil. So the transition with the weight, and trying to control the body, wasn't much. But the mentality of it? Coming from a smaller city to the big city, New York City, it's crazy. It's the first time I had ever left the south. I didn't talk for three days and if anyone has ever met me, me not talking for three days is a big ordeal. (LEFT: FROM L'OFFICIEL HOMMES)

ME: That's a lot for you.

SO: It really is.

ME: So it was a big culture shock coming up here?

SO: That's the perfect word to use. It was a huge culture shock, because I come from sweet tea and grits to everything in New York. You have some of the nicest restaurants in the world here. I'm pretty happy with Waffle House back home. It enlightened me a lot and it scared me a lot.

ME: Do you think you've grown as a person on the inside from leaving home?

SO: I think I've been resilient to trying to grow, but I mean it just happens. You're around so many cultured people and it's just what this business offers that allows you to become in the mentality a lot stronger as a person.

ME: Do you think there is a lot of jealousy in the industry about the success you've had-from the other boys?

SO: If there is, I choose not to hang out with those kids. The guys I surround myself with are also very successful. It's not a competition between us; it's kind of a congratulations on what you do.

ME: is there a way to be creative in this job?

SO: Um-

ME: Or are you just an object and a clothing hanger? Are you just an object on set?

SO: The last time we shot together [shooting an ad campaign] I got to hang off different things and jump around. I got to do things I learned through sports. I got to make the outfits my own, which was pretty cool, and I try to do that with every shoot I do.

ME: And when a photographer asks you to become a character or a stylist wants you to embody a certain idea do you understand always what they're saying?

SO: Not always, because I've embodied people I've never even heard of. I mean I had to see pictures about that. I did this Charlie Chaplin shoot and they recorded live feeds of Charlie Chaplin going on and on and on from YouTube. Midway through the shoot I got how they wanted me to be through my perception. But it's difficult sometimes to you know-

ME: To understand what people are talking about. There are a lot of references that are maybe obscure that you might not know about.

SO: Yeah, I'm from Georgia-not a lot of that culture of the finer things where I'm from.

ME: Do you think your approach to getting dressed has changed since you've been a model?

SO: Oh yeah. I thought Abercrombie & Fitch was the bee's knees before I started. Now I've lost those roots and I kind of make it my own. The jeans are a lot skinnier than I used to wear, that's for sure. I always try and have a hat in every outfit. That's one thing I keep.

ME: A hat in every outfit.

SO: A hat in every outfit.

ME: Do you think being a male model is a peculiar job to have?

SO: I think it's one of the most peculiar jobs to have.

ME: What's the strangest thing anyone has ever asked you to do?

SO: Hmmm, I did a shoot recently where they asked me to yell like I was a dinosaur. I put my arms in really close like a T-Rex. He was like ‘That's not a dinosaur.' I was like, "But his arms are short. He can't reach." I guess I looked a little bit mentally handicapped doing it, but as you said before it kind of escaped me-that shoot.

ME: What do you think about when you're on the runway?

SO: Honestly, I kind of space out and look into the cameras and don't think about anything else. I'd laugh my ass off if I thought that 500 people were staring at me, because if anyone has ever seen my runway walk, I'm a huge d-bag. I cannot walk for days. That's one thing in my career that I don't understand. I have the worst runway walk. I mean Lana will admit it, that I have a horrible runway walk. I just try not to concentrate.

ME: Did you practice your walk ever?

SO: Oh yeah.

ME: Before you started?

SO: Oh not before I started, but when I started out. Man...

ME: You still practice?

SO: Oh yeah, I practiced. I used to walk like a robot. Now I walk even worse.

ME: Do you update your walk every season?

SO: I have like ten, twelve walks in my repertoire. What are you talking about?

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Why: Because she's size 6, out spoken, on August US W magazine cover (take that celebs), muse of many designers, and FUCKING AMAZING!

Interview with W:

Like most so-called overnight successes, Lara Stone is a fashion darling many years in the making. And as is typical of the stories behind suddenly white-hot commodities, Stone’s narrative contains a moment when she almost chucked it all. She was living in Paris, the city where at 15, during a family vacation from her small Dutch hometown, she was discovered in the metro by a model agent’s wife. “Three and a half years ago, I was really ready to quit,” says Stone, now 25 and curled up in a loose black T-shirt and leggings on a leather bench at New York’s Park Avenue Armory, where she is about to slip into decidedly sexier garb and channel a naughty schoolmistress alongside a gaggle of male models for a shoot with photographer Steven Klein. Her voice is low and soft, and she speaks carefully, as if she might disturb someone lurking nearby. Throughout her late teens, Stone recalls, she worked regularly, doing mostly regional print in places like Tokyo and Barcelona. But those jobs tapered off—hence the moment of despair. In a last-ditch effort at career resuscitation and at the urging of an old boyfriend, she switched agents; the new team, at IMG, aggressively sent her out as a “fresh face”—even though, Stone says, “everybody in Paris knew me, because I’d been there for so long and I’d been doing castings all the time.”

The strategy worked. This new yet precisely the same as before Stone—whose feline features, languid gap-toothed smile and voluptuous frame had previously scored her plenty of European catalog work but no major runway work or editorials—caught the eye of Riccardo Tisci, who was casting his fall 2006 Givenchy couture show. “When I [first] saw Lara, I was coming out of my studio to go into another room, and I crossed Lara in the corridor, and I took her straightaway,” says Tisci. “She was supershy. I asked her a few questions, I took a Polaroid and I looked at the agent and said, ‘I want Lara exclusively.’ I fell in love.”

The fashion pendulum had swung in Stone’s favor, and soon she was all over the place: kohl-eyed and poured into a slightly sheer, button-down cardie at the spring 2008 Prada show; lying supine on a bed, her bare chest obscured by a furry handbag for a Juergen Teller photo shoot. At Isabel Marant, for whom Stone has walked in the last three shows and who calls Stone “a kind of alien—she’s a mix of a warrior and Brigitte Bardot,” she appeared fresh-scrubbed and dressed in a snappy henley shirtdress, proving a chameleon-like adeptness at morphing into whatever particular image a designer wants to project during a given season.

There is nothing girlish about Stone. Nor is there anything boyish; Klein calls her “the girl with the X-rated lips.” She’s neither coquette nor vamp; her seduction lies in her womanliness—the breasts, the hips—and perhaps also in the palpable ambivalence Stone feels toward the industry that she finds herself at the top of at the moment. She lives in London now and avoids fashion parties, though she visibly shudders when asked what she might want to do after the klieg lights shut down. “When I think about my job now, it’s so easy. Because you get so much free time, you get to travel everywhere,” she says. “The people are nice and fun and easy and relaxed. You get to smoke at work. You make lots of money.” Stone pauses. “Where are you ever going to find another job where you don’t have a boss or responsibilities, really, except to get on an airplane and just show up? It’s a bit worrying.”

The other thing that has Stone fretting is her body, an irony given how many photographers and designers see in her a refreshing aesthetic shift away from the prepubescent boy figure that has lately dominated fashion. Bruce Weber, who has worked with Stone several times since her Givenchy re-debut, says, “To me, Lara is part Marlon Brando, part Thelonious Monk and part Robert Mitchum. She’s big, bad and beautiful.”

“She had this sexual awareness,” the photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott recall via e-mail of meeting Stone two years ago, on a shoot for this magazine. “Normally when we are shooting, we are looking to create a character, and the great thing about Lara is that she is naturally already such a strong character herself [that] she inspires us to take a better picture.” But Stone has struggled with the role of healthy poster girl (she is, it should be noted, a very lithe five feet ten). “A lot of people say it’s nice to see someone who won’t break in half when you touch them,” she says with a sigh, rolling a pack of cigarettes around in her hands. “But I am still a woman and a person, and if you’re compared and confronted with your colleagues, and they’re all half your size, you think, F---, I’m really fat! And then on other days, I’m like, Oh, I’m not that bad.” Coming to terms with her charmingly gapped front teeth has been an easier journey, however, despite the suggestion from a certain editor in chief that she might get them fixed. “She was just wondering what we were going to do about my teeth,” Stone says, laughing, “and I thought she was talking about the fact that they are so yellow, so I told her I would quit smoking, which I still haven’t done.” Now, Stone adds, “I quite like them. It makes me different.”

In many of Stone’s photographs and in her runway work—about which she has anxiety too, though mostly because her size-7 feet make walking in the size-8 and -9 samples more of a clomp than a strut—the notable quality is a lack of emotion: Unlike her contemporaries, such as Sasha Pivovarova, who often has the look of a lost nymph in the forest, or even Gisele, who has become her own universally recognized brand, Stone works like a blank canvas, a grown-up who is content to let her collaborators paint their fantasies upon her. It is a role that seems to suit her just fine. Asked if she likes fashion, Stone glances up, shows a flash of those famous teeth, and says, “I like my job.”

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